Harvesting of sugar cane



Feb. 5, 1935. R. s. FALKINER El AL 7 1,990,172

' HARVESTING 0F SUGAR CANE Filed April 14, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A'ITORN EY Feb. 5, 1935. R. SQFALKINER El AL 1,990,172

HARVESTING OF SUGAR CANE 7 Filed April 14, 1950 :s Sheelz-Sheeb? r V 6 3w OZ. mm m? mHnnfihwflflwh C V Y w w wmsfic M ATTORNEY Feb. 5, 1935.

R. s. FALKINER El AL 1,990,172

HARVESTING OF SUGAR CANE Filegi April 14, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

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Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED" STATES and mesne assignments, to Falkiner Cane Harvester Corporation oi? America, New York,;N. Y.

. Application April 14; 1930 ,1 Serial'No. 443,9993 2, 7 seems. "(Cl.209 153) This invention relates to means for-"harvesting sugar cane. One ofthe ,objectsofthe invention is the provision of an improved and highly effilcient method of and means for effecting the'separation of the good cane fromthe leaves,. tops,

and other attendant trash. Another object, is

to provide improved means enabling the means for severing the cane from the ground to accommodate itself to ground inequalities. A further object is the provision of improved means for chopping the cane, trash, and leaves into: predetermined lengths. Other features ofthe invention will be hereinafter described and claimed. 7

In the accompanying drawings: Fig.1 is a view partly inside partly in vertical section, showing caneharvest:

ing mechanism comprising an embodiment of ourinvention. 7

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. b Fig. 3 is aview partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation, and on an enlarged scale,

showingthe means for separating thegood can from the tops, leaves and trash. I Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevationof themachine shown in Figs. 1 and2. ya Fig. 5 is a detail view partlyin section and partly in elevation, of the cane choppingmechanism. J h Fig. 6 is a viewtaken on line 6-6 of Fig-5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is another view of a detail. I Referring to the drawings there are shown at 2, 2 a pair of rotatable disks, each carrying a pair of knives 3, 3, for severing the cane from the ground. These knives and disks maybe the same as those disclosed in our pending application for U. S. Patent, No. 386,125, filed Aug..15, 1929 and in our pending application for BritishPatent No. 27526 of 1929; saidknives being adaptedtosever the cane at or below groundlevel. Above. said knives a pair .of superposed grippingrollers4, 5, are mounted both of which may be pneumatic, although preferably the upper one only is pneumatic, while the lower is of hard material such as steel and of a smaller diameter. In front of the lower roller 5, and in proximity to the ground knives, a roller 6 of smallerdiameter is mounted,

this roller preferably having a roughened surface. In frontof the rollers 4, 5, and 6 is a forwardly.

projecting'hoodor fender 1 providedon each side with a hinged-gathering horn 8, 9, each mounted, on a roller 9?; the extreme ends of said horns being in the form of hinged spring :controlled P ju in fi Th 911 elevation, and.

are mounted ina iframen comprisingtwo pairsv V of parallel radius'rods, 13, 14, one pair on eachside ofthe machine. The shafts 4, 5 ofthe re-- spective rollers 4, '5, are journalled in the frame 1-2, as are also the shafts-17318 of apair of rollers 17,18, similar to the rollers 4, 5, and positioned to the rear thereof. The fender 'T-issecured to the ment as a unit about the axis of saidshaft 18'.

Itwill be. seen that through. the pivotal mounting of frame 12 aforesaid,.movement of thelatter.

in a verticalplane independently of the m'ainv frame. of the machine is-permitted, thereby per-.

mitting the ground knife disks 2, 2 to negotiate uneven ground conditions, while at the same time the rollers 4, 5, 6, 17, and 1,8 are maintainedin. a fixed relationship to'each other Also, due to said pivotal mounting, the frame 12, together with the parts carried thereby, may be raised oiit of contact with the ground for facilitating transport or turning of the machine. ,Any suitable means for raising and lowering the frame 12 for purposes of'transportmay be employed.

Suitably mounted in the frame 12 betweenv the lower rollers 5, 118, as by being secured tothe members 19, 2 0, isa guide plate 22, which prevents cane from falling between said rollers. A smaller guide roller 23 may be' mounted above, therollers 4.17, as shown. The main frame, 16 of the machine comprises longitudinally extending, beams 24, 24, which may be supported in any Suitable way from caterpillar trucks 25, 25, as by means of cross rods.26, 26. Each truck carries guide Wheels 26' as well as a driver or sprocket wheel 2'1 engagingthe asso-, ciated caterpillar or endless track 28. The sprocket wheels may be driven by an engine 29 through suitable gearing in the box 30 and through shaft 31 on which .said. wheels are mounted. A separate engine 32 may be em ployedfor driving the disks 2 and the rollers latter, through chains 37, driving the shaft 18. Turning of shaft 18' rotates the roller 18 secured thereto, as wellas the upperroller 17. Shaft 18,

through chains 38, drives shaft 5 of roller 5,

the machine travels forwardly, the cane is caused to pass butts, first into engagement withthe rollers carried by frame 12.,1The roller 6 aids in feeding the cane into position for passing between the rollers 4, 5, whence it is further passed; between the rear pair of rollers 1'7, 18. With the cane travel, off cours'e; 'the leaves and at? tendant' trash "It will be evidentthatinlieu of'the roller fi ashor't elevator may be emplb for passing the cane into theroller's 4, 5. h

The chopping or chafilngmechanism includes astationary' knifeor dead plate 40 carried on thle main'frame of themachine and positioned to the rear of the roller 17. Thisplate is preferably 4 corrugatedlongitudinallyasindicated at'41. A

smalliroller-42 is mounted inside members extending upwardly from plate '40, said roller being positioned at a suitable distance to allow cane to pass between it and said plate. Carried by a crank plate .44'fwhich is Suitably balanced by counterweight arm-4j5 and is mounted for rota tion about ;a horizontal axis in a standard 46, is

in the 's1ot48j This plate is pivotally mounted a circular or"di sk knife '43 arranged to sweep across the rear edge of the dead Plate 40 so that asthe -cane, trash and leaves are fed to the rear edge of said plate said disk knife sweeps round" and chafis'or' chops them. .While said knife 43 maybe positively rotated about its pivotal cone nection tothe'crank plate 44, Ihave shown said knife asfsimply free .to rotate on said plate, the latter bleing driven' at a predetermined speed in relationto the feed of the gripping rollers so as to cut the"cane,,leaves.and trash into predetermined lengths. The crank plate maybe driven in any convenient way from, the engine, as

through a ch'aindrive'14'7, shaft 47', and gears.

47c, from shaft 33. I The knife 43 passes through slots 48,48. in the sides 40,. of the dead plate; v V 'Arranged at the side of the dead plate atwhich the'knife finishes its cut is an anti-choke device comprising an oscillating plate 49 which works at 49 on the adjacent side of the dead, plate and is oscillated from thecrank plate 44 in any suitable way as by a connecting rod 50 and rocker arm 51; said connections being so arranged that the ,plate 49'is in'its outwardposition away from I the knife 44' as the latter passes through the slot 48'. 'As the knife continues its movement the plate 49is moved inwardly in the slot 48 and pushes any material carriedup by the knife-back 1 into the stream of cane passingover the dead plate. The'corrugations 41 aid in preventing the cane from' being pushed laterally under the influence of the knife during its passage.

' Immediately behind and below the dead plate 40 and arranged to receivethe cut cane from a downwardly directed rear portion 40" of said plate is anelevator52, which may be of any usual type, such as an endless band conveyor fitted with slats, teeth, or the like for carrying the cut cane;

leaves,- and trash along. Said elevator 52 may be driven from engine 32 in any convenient way as by Wheels on the shaft 36 engaging said conveyor. Through the conveyor 52 the out cane leaves and trash are carried to the separating mechanism.

The mechanism for separating the goodcane W from the tops, leaves, and trash comprises a drum 53 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. Asshown, said drum may be rotatably mounted in brackets 54,54 fixed to standards 55, 55 which rise fromthe beams 24, 24 of the main frame. Said drum may be rotatedin any suitable way 'by the engine 29, as, for example, through shaft 56 driven from said engine through suitable .gearing in box 57,- chain or belt 53, shaft 59, gears 60, 60 on said shaft, and annular racks 61,

61 on said drum engaged by the respective gears 60, 60,; Tothe rear of the drum 53 there is positioned a drum 62, also mounted for rotation about ai'horizontalas by means of brackets 63, v63, secured tosta'ndards 64,64 rising from beams 24, 24; The d'rum'62'is preferably rotatedinthe direction opposite to that in -whichdrum- 53 is rotated. Drums 62 maybe driven insaid opposite direction from engine 29" through suitable gearing inbox 57, shaft 65,-"chain or 'belt66, shaft 67, and gears 68, 68' on-s'aid shaft'm'eshing respectively with annular mks 69, 69; on said drum. Each of"the brackets'63, 63 maycarry rollers 70-for' engaging the drum 62 asl indicated in 'Fig. 4, and similarly the brackets 54, 54 may carry rollers contacting with drum 53. Positioned within the rearward extremity of 62 is a fan 71, rotatably supported ina; frame comprising standards72j-72 '(Fig. 4-)Yprojecting upwardly from beams24, 24." Said fanis'driven; from engine 29 in anysuitable way as by'g'earing in the box 73, shaft 74 'a'nd gearing in" box175.

By rotation of said fan a 'continuous current of air is drawn rearwardlythrough the drums 53,: 62and is discharged atthe rear of the'machine. The drum53 is provided on its interior with-a series of slats or paddles '76 preferably arranged witha slight helical inclination. As thecut up cane leaves, tops, and trash are transferred by the 'elevator' 52 to the. interiorof thedrum 53 they come under the influence of the air current inducedb-y the rotating an 171; This immediate- 1y removes a large portion of the leaves, tops, and trash or other material lighter-than the pieces o oo c n sa eer a ers. a trash heing drawn through the'fanrand discharged at ,the rear of "the machine. The remaining pieces comprising the, good cane: and such adher ing lighter particles as havei not been removed immediately by the air current/fall into the drum, which in rotating carries them up the side by means of the slats. or paddles 76 and-drops them through the air stream repeatedly, thus insuring thoroughseparatlbn of jthe leaves, tops and'other trashfrom the cane. 'I'h'e'slight helical inclination of the'paddles' il, in conjunc- 7 tion with the air stream, insures the feeding of the cane rearwardly to a discharge space 77 tween the drums53 and 62.

Below the'discharge space 7'1 therefis' mountedl a conveyor 78 h for transporting the cut cane from themachine to wagons or carts positioned'to the sidev of the machine when'in operation. Said conveyor may comprise, sprocket 'ch'ainsg'laj 79 carrying'slats80 for receiving and transporting the pieces cream. The conveyormayfbe driven in any suitableway from engine 29, fas, for ex ample, through sprocket-wheels 81,- 81 :on shafts frame 85 which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, come prises a lower horizontal portion 86 extending transversely of the machine below the space '77 between the drums 53, 62. Said frame further comprises two portions 8'7, 87, extending upwardly from opposite ends of the portion 86, and a horizontal section 88 extending above the drums 53, 62, and connecting the upper ends of the portions 87, 87. The frame 85 may conveniently be supported through standards similar to stand ards 64 or 55 rising from beams 24, 24 and connected to portion 86, as well as through extensions 89 from the adjacent brackets 54, 63, as shown in Fig. 3. Said frame 85 is provided with guide wheels 90 (Fig. 4) over which is passed the conveyor '78.

The opening '17 between the drums 53, 62, is covered, except for a space 77' for the discharge of the cane, by a hood 91, which may be sup-- ported from the adjacent brackets 54, 63 through suitable extensions thereof such as indicated at 92, 92. The opening 77', in addition to providing for the discharge of the out pieces of cane from the drum 53 and on to the conveyor '78, also permits an upward current of air to flow therethrough under the influence of the suction created by fan 71. Any remaining trash, leaves and tops are thereby separated from the caneand are drawn through the fan and discharged from the machine.

The connections for operating the conveyor 78 may be reversible soas to drive said conveyor in either of opposite directions and thus discharge the cane on either side of the machine as desired. Any well-known or convenient reversing connections may be employed andneed not be here described. A handle for controlling the direction of operation of the oonveyor78 is indicated at 93.

The drum 62 is provided with helical fins or vanes 94 which are arranged to feed back to the opening '77 any good cane which may have been carried past said opening and into said drum. As has been mentioned, the drum 62 is rotated in the opposite direction from that in which drum 53 is rotated. The object of this is as follows:

As the cane, leaves, and trash are fed into the I drum 53 they are carried up by the paddles 76 on one side only of the drum, i.'e., in the direction of rotation.

On this account the major portion of the tops, leaves, and trash is traveling to the fan on one side only, leaving the other side i with comparatively clean air. Any cane carried over into the drum 62 is carried up by the helical vanes 94 on the side opposite to that on which the cane is carried upwardly in the firstdrum, and thus the cane in the second drum is subjected to the influence of the clean air above mentioned.

By the'term trash, as employed in the ensuing claims, we intend to refer to any. material such as leaves, tops, or extraneous matter lighter than the good cane.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

We claim: 1. In a cane harvesting apparatus, a drum for receiving cane and trash, means for inducing an air current through said drum, means carried by said drum for elevating and dropping the cane and trash through said air current, and feeding canethrough one end of said drum, means at said end of the drum for conveying the cane to a discharge point, anda second drum positioned for receiving cane and trash carried by said air current from thefirst drum, said second drum being constructed and arranged to feed back to said conveying means cane carried by said air current fromthe first drum.

, 2. In a cane harvesting apparatus, a knife, a rotatable member upon which said knife is mounted, a compartment having a slot therein, means for feeding cane to said compartment, means for rotating said element for causing said knife to cut cane in said compartment and thence to pass outwardly through said slot, an antichoke element, and connections between said element and said rotatable member for entering said element with said slot during a portion of the rotation of said member.

drum, means for inducing an air current through said drum comprising a fan, and a second drum aligned with the first drum and constructed and arranged to feed back to a point between the drums cane carried beyond the first drum, said drums being open at both ends and said fan beinglocated at the opposite end of the second drum from the first drum.

4. In a cane harvesting machine, means for chopping cane, a rotary drum, means for conveying the pieces of cane and trash from the chopping means and delivering them to said drum, means for causing a current of air to flow through said drum, means within said drum for elevating and dropping the cane and trash through said current, and means for removing pieces of cane from said drum.

5. The herein described method of harvesting cane which consists in cutting the stalks into lengths, tumbling them about for severing the leaves from the stalks, and in alternately raising and then letting the stalks and leaves fall repeat edly through a blast of air strong enough to remove the severed leaves from the stalks.

RALPH SADLEIR FALKINER. WALTER GEORGE CHARLEY. 

